Archive for the ‘points deduction’ Category

Maybe the Football Association woke up fearing a lengthy legal battle and possible humiliation by the fat cats from Formula 1. Maybe it was the criticsim they received overnight from the media after announcing they could not make a decision.

QPR lift the Championhip trophy

Whatever the real reason, the blundering FA finally did the right thing and confirmed Queens Park Rangers would not be denied promotion over irregularities relating to the transfer and contract renewal of Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlín.

Even the shock of losing their final match at home to Leeds United 2-1 could not spoil the party as the Hoops were presented with the Championship trophy that confirms their return to the Premier League after a 15 year absence.

An FA statement read: “The Regulatory Commission hearing charges brought by The FA against Queens Park Rangers FC wish to announce that although two of the charges have been found to be proved there will be no points deduction made from Queens Park Rangers FC in this season or the next.”

QPR manager Neil Warnock paid tribute to his team for managing to concentrate on playing rather than be distracted by the off-field affairs.

He told BBC1’s Football Focus: “How they have managed to focus with all the rubbish some of the tabloids report, people speaking out when they shouldn’t have done, didn’t know their facts…they coped well. We haven’t said anything, we just kept our counsel and did it on the pitch. I can’t praise them high enough although it’s not really sunk in at the moment, it’s just a great feeling.”

Only the English Football Association can make such a gigantic mess of an argument that began in September – eight months ago – and a matter of weeks after the season kicked off.

Queens Park Rangers have been the stand-out team in the Championship all season and deserve to go up as champions. But the climax to the season has been reduced to farce because the FA still can’t decide whether or not to dock the Hoops points over transfer irregularities.

The FA – due to announce tomorrow (Friday) if QPR are guilty of seven charges of breaking transfer laws over their £3.5million move for Alejandro Faurlin in 2009 – are set to postpone the decision until next week.

Are these guys for real? This is no way to govern our national sport.

To be heading into the final match of the season still not knowing whether or not the Hoops are going to be denied promotion to the Premier League and the trophy they won fair and square is quite simply a disgrace.

The Football Association has delayed its verdict in the row over the ownership of midfielder Faurlin due to the quantity of evidence being considered. But why on earth was this not dealt with months ago. And at the very least long before the season’s conclusion.

For the FA to decide QPR’s fate after Neil Warnock and his team celebrate their richly deserved Championship win with their home fans on the final day against Leeds on Sunday is wrong on every level.

A points deduction will almost certainly hand the title to Norwich City – and probably send Rangers into the play-offs. Cardiff or Swansea could be handed the second promotion spot. That would mean the competition’s top two prizes not being decided on the football pitch. Even then the argument will not be over because the FA will surely be taken to the courts.

You could not pick a fight on two bigger heavyweights than Formula 1 hotshots Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore who would be well within their rights to give the FA a good kicking via the legal system. Ecclestone, who owns 62 per cent, has already put a £100 price tag on Rangers as a Premier League club. And this is not a guy who quits when he’s put in a corner.

Any betting man will put his money on the FA to back down on this one. But why on earth are we in this position in the first place?